cooling HONDA ODYSSEY 1995 User Guide

Heating and Cooling

To Defog and Defrost

To remove fog from the inside of the windows:
1. Switch the fan on.
2. Turn on the air conditioning. 3. Select and
4. Adjust the temperature control lever so the airflow from the
defroster vents feels warm.
5. Turn on the rear window defogger to help clear the rear window.
To remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield and side windowsafter the car has been sitting out in
cold weather:
1. Start the engine. 2. Select and
3. Switch the fan and temperature
controls to maximum. To rapidly remove exterior frost or
ice from the windshield (on very cold days), first select Once the
windshield is clear, select to
avoid fogging the windows.
These settings direct all the air flow to the defroster vents at the base ofthe windshield and the side windowdefroster vents. The air flow will get
warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. You can
close the side vents with the dial
beside each vent. This will send more warm air to the windshielddefroster vents.
For safety, make sure you have a
clear view through all the windows
before driving away.
To Turn Everything Off

To shut off the system temporarily, slide the fan speed and temperature
control levers all the way to the left.
You should shut the system com- pletely off only for the first few
minutes of driving in cold weather,until the engine coolant warms up
enough to operate the heater. Keep
the fan on at all other times so stale air does not build up in the interior.

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Heating and Cooling

Rear A/C Unit (U.S. models only)

The rear A/C can be used when the
A/C switch on the front control panel is ON. Turn the rear A/C on
by moving the fan control lever outof the "OFF" position. The indicator
will come on. Adjust the fan speed by sliding the fan control lever. To
change the direction of air flow,
move the tab in the center of each
vent up-and-down and side-to-side.
Comfort and Convenience Features
FAN CONTROL

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Maintenance

This section explains why it is important to keep your car well
maintained and to follow basic
maintenance safety precautions.
This section also includes Maintenance Schedules for normal
driving and severe driving conditions,
a Maintenance Record, and
instructions for simple maintenance
tasks you may want to take care of
yourself.
If you have the skills and tools
required to perform more complex
maintenance tasks on your Honda,
you may want to purchase the Service Manual. See page 233 for
information on how to obtain a copy, or see your Honda dealer.
Maintenance Safety....................... 136

Maintenance Schedule.................. 138

Maintenance Record..................... 142

Periodic Checks............................. 144
Fluid Locations............................... 145

Engine Oil....................................... 146

Checking Engine Oil................. 146

Adding......................................... 146

Recommended Oil..................... 147

Additives..................................... 148

Oil and Filter Changes.............. 148

Cooling System.............................. 150

Checking the Engine Coolant
Level........................................ 150

Adding Engine Coolant............. 151
Replacing Engine Coolant........ 152

Windshield Washers..................... 154

Automatic Transmission Fluid..... 155
Brake Fluid..................................... 156

Brake System............................. 156

Anti-lock Brake System............ 157

Power Steering............................... 157

Air Cleaner..................................... 158

Spark Plugs..................................... 160
Replacement............................... 160

Specification............................... 161
Battery............................................ 162
Windshield Wipers........................ 165
Air Conditioning............................. 168 Drive Belts...................................... 169
Tires................................................ 169 Inflation....................................... 170
Inspection................................... 171
Maintenance............................... 171
Tire Rotation.............................. 172 Replacing Tires and Wheels .... 172
Wheels and Tires....................... 173
Winter Driving........................... 173 Snow Tires.............................. 174
Tire Chains............................. 174
Lights.............................................. 175 Headlight Aiming...................... 175
Replacing Bulbs......................... 177
Storing Your Car............................ 182

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Engine Oil, Cooling System

If you change Your own oil, please

dispose of the used oil properly. Put it
in a sealed container and take it to a

recycling center. Do not discard it in a

trash bin or dump it on the ground.

The oil and filter should be changed every 6 months or 12,000 km (7,500
miles), whichever comes first. Under severe driving conditions, they
should be changed every 3 months
or 6,000 km (3,750 miles). See page 137 for a description of severe
driving conditions. Checking the Engine Coolant
Level
Check the level of the engine coolant
by looking at the radiator reserve
tank next to the battery. If the level
is at or below the MIN line, add
coolant to bring it up to the MAX line.
Inspect the cooling system for leaks.
This coolant should always be a mixture of 50% antifreeze and 50%
water. Never add straight antifreeze or plain water. Always use Genuine Honda Anti-
freeze/Coolant. The cooling systemcontains many aluminum compo-
nents which can corrode if animproper antifreeze is used. Someantifreeze, even though labeled as
safe for aluminum parts, may not
provide adequate protection.

Maintenance

NOTICE

RESERVE TANK
MIN

MAX
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Cooling System
Adding Engine Coolant If the reserve tank is completelyempty, you should also check the
coolant level in the radiator.
1. Make sure the engine and radiator
are cool.
RADIATOR CAP

2. Turn the radiator cap counter- clockwise, without pressing down
on it, until it stops. This relieves
any pressure remaining in the
cooling system.
3. Remove the radiator cap by pushing down and turningcounterclockwise.
4. The coolant level should be up to
the base of the filler neck. Addcoolant if it is low.
5. Put the radiator cap back on. Tighten it fully.
6. Pour coolant into the reserve tank. Fill it to halfway between the MAX
and MIN marks. Put the cap backon the reserve tank.
Maintenance

RESERVE TANK

Removing the radiator cap
while the engine is hot can
cause the coolant to spray out,
seriously scalding you.
Always let the engine and radiator cool down before
removing the radiator cap.

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Cooling System

Do not add any rust inhibitors or other additives to your car's cooling
system. They may not be compatible
with the coolant or engine compo- nents.
Replacing Engine Coolant
The cooling system should be completely drained and refilled with
new coolant according to the time
and distance recommendations in
the maintenance schedule. Only use
recommended antifreeze.
Draining the coolant requires access
to the underside of the car. Unless
you have the tools and knowledge,
you should have this maintenance done by a skilled mechanic. 1. Start the engine. Turn the heater
temperature control dial to
maximum heat and turn off theengine. Open the hood. Make sure
the engine and radiator are cool to
the touch.
2. Remove the radiator cap. DRAIN BOLT
3. Loosen the drain plug on the bottom of the radiator. Thecoolant will drain through thesplash guard. Remove the drain
bolt from the engine block.
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Cooling System

RESERVE TANK RESERVE
TANK CAP

HOLDER

4. Remove the reserve tank from its holder by pulling it straight up.Drain the coolant, then put the
tank back in its holder.
5. When the coolant stops draining, tighten the drain plug in the
bottom of the radiator. Apply non-
hardening sealant to the drain bolt
threads and reinstall the bolt in
the engine block. Tighten it
securely.
FILLER NECK

Fill up to here

6. Mix the recommended antifreeze with an equal amount of purifiedor distilled water in a clean
container. The cooling system capacity is: 6.3
(1.66 US gal , 1.39 Imp gal)
7. Pour coolant into the radiator up to the base of the filler neck. 8. Loosen the bleeder bolt on top of
the engine. Tighten it again when
coolant comes out in a steadystream with no bubbles.
9. Refill the radiator to the base of the filler neck. Put the cap on the
radiator, only tighten it to the firststop. Start the engine and let it run
until it warms up (the radiator cooling fan comes on at least
twice).

Maintenance

BLEEDER BOLT

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Cooling System, Windshield Washers

10.Turn off the engine. Check the level in the radiator, add coolant if needed. Install the radiator cap,
tighten it fully.
11.Fill the reserve tank to the MAX mark. Install the reserve tank cap.
Windshield Washers

Check the level in the windshield
washer reservoir at least monthly
during normal usage. In bad weather,
when you use the washers often, check the level every time you stop

for fuel.

The windshield washer reservoir is located behind the left headlight.Check the reservoir's fluid level by
removing the cap and looking at the
level gauge attached to the cap.
Fill the reservoir with a good-quality
windshield washer fluid. This increases the cleaning capability and
prevents freezing in cold weather.

Do not use engine antifreeze or a vinegar/water solution in the
windshield washer reservoir.
LEVEL GAUGE

Antifreeze can damage your car's paint, while a vinegar/water solution can
damage the windshield washer pump.
Use only commercially-available
windshield washer fluid.

Maintenance
RESERVE TANK

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Air Conditioning
Your car's air conditioning is a sealed system. Any major maintenance,
such as recharging, should be done
by

a qualified technician. There are a
couple of things you can do to make sure the air conditioning works

efficiently.

Periodically check the engine's
radiator and air conditioning
condenser for leaves, insects
, and
dirt stuck to the front surface.
These
block the air flow and reduce cooling efficiency. Use a light spray from a
hose or
a soft brush to remove them. Run the air conditioning at least once
a week during the cold weather
months
. Run it for at least ten
minutes while you are driving at a steady speed with the engin
e at
normal operating temperature. This
circulates

the lubricating oil con-

tained in the refrigerant.
If th
e air conditioning does not get as
cold

as before, have your dealer
chec
k the system. Recharge the
syste
m with Refrigerant HFC-134a

(R-134a). (See Specifications on page
218.)
Whenever you have the air conditioning
system. This system captures the
refrigerant for reuse. Releasing
refrigerant into the atmosphere can
damage the environment.

Maintenance
AIR CONDITIONING
CONDENSER

The condenser and radiator fins bend
easily. Only use a low-pressure spray
or soft-bristle brush to clean them.
NOTICE NOTICE
system serviced, make sure the service
facility uses a refrigerant recycling
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If Your Engine Overheats

The pointer of your car's tempera- ture gauge should stay in the mid-
range under most conditions. It may
go higher if you are driving up a long steep hill on a very hot day. If it
climbs to the red mark, you should

determine the reason.

Driving with the temperature gauge
pointer at the red mark can cause serious damage to your engine. Your car can overheat for several
reasons, such as lack of coolant or a

mechanical problem. The only

indication may be the temperature

gauge climbing to or above the red mark. Or you may sec steam or
spray coming from under the hood.

In either case, you should take

immediate action.
1. Safely pull to the side of the road.
Put the transmission in neutral or
park and set the parking brake.
Turn off the heating and cooling system and all other accessories.
Turn on the hazard warning indicators.
2. If you see steam and/or spray coming from under the hood, turn
off the engine.
3. If you do not see steam or spray, leave the engine running and
watch the temperature gauge. If the high heat is due to overloading (climbing a long, steep hill on a
hot day with the A/C running, for example), the engine should start
to cool down almost immediately. If it does, wait until the tempera-
ture gauge comes down to the mid-
point then continue driving.
Taking Care of the Unexpected

NOTICE

Steam and spray from an
overheated engine can
seriously scald you.Do not open the hood if steam
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